Burned-out Loveland business owners discuss preparedness

Computer backups, other issues suddenly become critical

Loveland Fire Rescue Authority engineer Curtis Burke, center, carries a computer from the rubble that used to be the offices of Emerson & Associates CPAs on Wednesday.
(
Jenny Sparks
)

LOVELAND -- The owners of businesses in the burned-out Ward Building began to learn Wednesday how well prepared they were for a disaster.

Many stood outside the office building at 2114 N. Lincoln Ave., surveying the damage and then watching firefighters carry out papers and computer equipment.

"Anything that came out today would be a pleasant surprise," considering the intensity of the fire, accountant Mike Emerson said Wednesday evening. "I was surprised I got anything, to tell you the truth."

Firefighters recovered paperwork, clients' payroll checks and some computer equipment from part of his office suite, he said.

"I recovered some of my computers. My IT man will look at them tonight or tomorrow to see if they're workable," he said. "There was water in everything, and soot."

Off-site Backup

His computer consultant, Justin King, said even if he can't recover data from Emerson & Associates CPAs' server, most of the company's data should be safe.

"The server backs up to a set of hard drives," he said. "Two of them are always off-site." So at most, Emerson might lose a week's worth of business data, he said.

"It's extremely important to have off-site backup," said King, owner of Network Troubleshooting and Installation. He added, though: "You can put in the best backup system in the world, but if you don't keep your data off-site and your building burns down, you're out of business."

Some of his clients are spending the money to have their data backed up automatically to "the cloud" through one of the Internet-based services, he said.

Business records aside, Elizabeth Seaboch, a psychotherapist who shares a counseling practice with three others, echoed the reaction of other business owners: "We're all together and safe; that's what's important."

Be Prepared

Seaboch brought up another issue that businesses have to deal with after a disaster - communication. "We had a slew of clients (scheduled for Wednesday), but we can't call them," she said, because their phone numbers are confidential and were stored securely in the building.

Mike Emerson, left, owner of Emerson & Associates CPAs, and employee Jenny Untiedt wait and watch Wednesday as firefighters try to salvage paperwork and computers from their offices in the Ward Building after a major fire there Tuesday night. Heavy equipment was brought in to bring down part of the building to make it safer for crews to gain access.
(
Jenny Sparks
)

"We can't carry confidential information around with us," she said.

On a section of its website devoted to disaster preparation, the Federal Emergency Management Agency recommends a series of steps that businesses should take before a crisis strikes.

The website stresses developing a plan that includes evacuation or shelter, communication with employees and customers, the ability to continue operating as a business, computer data recovery, employee assistance and more.

Taking Care of Tenants

The businesspeople who spoke about the fire all praised their landlords, the Ward family, for immediately working to find them replacement office space even though they also had suffered the loss of their company's office upstairs.

The building housed several businesses, including Ward Construction, Emerson & Associates, James Oligmueller Dentistry, Eagle Consulting Services and the psychotherapists.

"They've been absolutely phenomenal this morning," said Chris Gray, a therapist who works with Seaboch. He said he already had looked at a potential new site, with the assistance of a real estate agent the Wards provided.

Added Emerson, "They're taking care of their tenants. I knew they would. They're great people."

Asked how the fire might change how he operates his business in the future, Emerson said small businesses like his usually can't afford to maintain a separate computer system off-site, but he would consider buying a fireproof safe to store computer software and other sensitive items.

Marvin Frear, another business owner burned out of his office, ruefully talked about what he would do differently next time.

Frear had just finished moving his Eagle Consulting Services operation, including about $10,000 worth of new furniture and computers, into the Ward Building the day of the fire.

He had planned to go to his insurance agent the next day to arrange coverage of his office equipment. Next time, he said, he'd nail down the insurance before arranging the furniture.

'Storms of Life'

But he was philosophical about the setback, calling it "one of the storms of life" that he couldn't really consider devastating.

He expressed concern about the welfare of his workers. "I have two employees. I don't want them to miss a day."

The fire also served as a wake-up call to a business next door.

Troy Jarosik and Michelle Gleason, co-owners of the Runza restaurant north of the Ward Building, were wiping down the inside of the restaurant in case smoke residue had settled.

"We just got off the phone this morning with our insurance guy, making sure our coverage is up to date," Jarosik said.

Ashley Gleason, daughter of the co-owner of the Runza restaurant just north of the fire-ravaged Ward Building, puts up a message to firefighters Wednesday morning. The other side of the sign says, "We are open." The restaurant stayed open all night Tuesday to allow firefighters to use its bathrooms.
(Craig Young)

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